700,000 views for 'man-cave' house advertised on Facebook

The Discover Residential offices were buzzing recently after news of a property listing a little different than most we see on a daily basis that had gone viral on Facebook. Although he knew the property might prove popular, real estate Sales Consultant Daniel McGlashan and the rest of our team were simply shocked by the huge response online. So why is this home so special - and how did Daniel diversify his approach to maximise its full potential? Here he reveals all - and explains why Facebook had a huge role to play in getting this unique property out onto the market.

A seemingly humble abode - with fabulous hidden features

Situated in sleepy, picturesque suburban sanctuary Hastings 61km from Melbourne CBD, the charming property already had huge potential. A sizeable, modern bungalow fronted by lush tall palm trees and neat landscaping - boasting four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Daniel was actually instructed by personal friends who were relocating as they required a property with more land. "They'd built the bungalow on Melaleuca Drive themselves seven years ago and followed through with some out of the box ideas which really sparked people's attention."

Highlighting unique features with a simple yet effective social media post

Despite the property's standout status, Daniel's approach remained the same. Knowing the power of online marketing, he started off with a listing alongside a couple of social media posts highlighting the property's plus points. "We ran a $50 boost on Facebook, and it just took off! Within a week we had had 700,000 views, almost 10,000 comments, 460 shares and 3300 likes. An unprecedented response. We were very lucky it took off and went viral. Something I haven't seen before - and we're unlikely to ever see again." Says Daniel. Visuals led the social post, with a clear and concise description with a simple call to action encouraging people to check it out. "We highlighted the combination of amazing garage with studio/bar room, sunken fire pit, core ten rusted steel facade and polished concrete benchtops. We also wanted to emphasise the fact it was $695,000-745,000 - which is not out of reach for the normal person."

Sold-out viewings

Naturally the huge amount of interest in the Melaleuca Drive residence resulted in a massive number of viewings. "We had 92 groups through two open homes which was over 300 people. We had four agents down there and it was crazy. The crowd was huge." So what was the outcome - and how quickly did the property exchange hands? "We ended up with eight offers in total and the property sold above expectations to a buyer from Rowville, who had seen it on Facebook.

An unprecedented response

Was Daniel prepared for the response the property received online? "No - not at all!" Social media had a significant role to play in the successful promotion and eventual sale of the property. "The importance of social media was huge - not only our post itself, but the Herald Sun and realestate.com.au ran stories on Facebook which provided further traction and exposure.

Discover Residential actually teamed up with Eview Group real estate agency partner Tallon Estate Agents in Hastings for this sale - true to our 'list with one, list with all' model. This further amplified the reach and exposure the property received.

Social is essential - for properties of all kinds

Daniel is certainly sold on the power of social media - and it's an incredibly important promotional tool for real estate agents across the board. He credits the initial Facebook post with the huge escalation of interest and ultimate explosion of viewings and shares as the content went viral. "Whilst we were very lucky with this one and it would be foolish of me to say this will happen again, the reach of social media for something out of box can be enormous."

Most importantly, the initial Facebook post received great interest from other large media agencies, notably press outlets and online giants domain.com.au and realestate.com.au. "The realestate.com.au views were just under 50,000 - which is huge. Australia-wide we believe it was beaten only by Channel 9's Block properties and Block stars Josh and Elyse's own home." Daniel says. "When you consider all the other amazing million dollar properties across the nation were beaten by a house in Hastings in the $700,000 region, it really is incredible."

Thinking of selling your property? Our team of real estate sales consultants are here to help you achieve the best possible price with the minimum of stress. Contact our sales consultants today to learn more about our approach, or click on the link to find out what your property could be worth.